sacrifice to the beast(open m/m)

After taking care of a few things, Ketsueki made his way to his bedroom looking down on Samara. He placed a thick blanket over her body before lying down next to her. Looking at her, then holding her tightly. The room, let a lone his whole body was cold, but he took care that she was warm enough. Closing his eyes before finally sleeping soundly next to Samara.

Samara looked around at the houses in the residential area they were now in, her eyes were burning from being tired and she was also tripping over her feet a little. Looking at the place Ketsueki pointed at she gave a small nod of her head, gasping when the dog ran up Samara moved behind Ketsueki as he shooed the dog away. Looking around at everything she could see with interest Samara looked back at him "Okay" Samara said softly before she headed up the stairs, walking into the first bedroom she found it didn't register in her mind that it was Ketsueki's room as she walked over to the bed and let herself collapse into it tiredly.

He gave a sighed, "Forgive me, I did forget you were out there most of the night." Leading her into the streets then finally to what it seemed a residential area. "Our home is this two story." Ketsueki pointed to a home that was connected to the ceiling of this floor. As he open the gate a dog ran up breathing flames, but was shooed away by Ketsueki. As he let her in the home flowed with western and eastern tastes, from a huge kotatsu, couches, and many knickknacks. " The bedrooms are up stairs, pick any one you wish. Be it mine or the guest one." He walked off to clothing hanging on a near by chair and began to change from the tattered robe to and more normal solid white one.

Samara looked down at Ketsueki's hand when he held hers again, letting him lead her down the next flight of stairs she looked around in awe but flinched and cringed when the ghosts and imps passed by her. "Please...I just want to get some sleep" she said softly before she looked at the human women who walked out of the dress store and passed her with a giggle. Looking around as much as she could Samara didn't know where to look anymore as everything was getting overwhelming to her.

Ketsueki glanced back and held her hand again, "You shouldn't be scared, I'll protect you as long as you stay by my side. " He spoke softly as he lead hen down the next flight of stairs. Some ghosts were passing by and a few imps as well, "Is there anything I can do to get you to calm down?" He ponder as he looked into a store seeing gowns and other things. Across from that store was a store selling weapons and yet another selling drink. Some human women walked out of the dress store and pass Samara, they giggled at her and went off into the streets.

Samara froze when he spoke, "The netherworld" she breathed. She had been raised on the stories of how evil disgusting creatures resided in the netherworld and if one was to take her it would be best to die. She didn't want to follow him down but she also didn't want to stay standing where she was. Following him she kept her eyes locked on Ketsueki as she walked her hands were shaking at her eyes and her breathing was coming out quicker than normal showing her fear of being told she was now in the netherworld. "Respect the beast or it will kill you" Samara whispered to herself as that had been something her mother used to always say to her.

Listen to what she said about his people talking to elders made his mind wounder about it a little. He looked to her to be sure she stayed near by. When she asked let another question Ketsueki turned to her and drew a circle with his finger. "It isn't a pit it's a loop." He pointed up showing that there were just as many layers above them as layers below. "IF you haven't noticed when we past that line I had to carry you over. It wasn't just some boundary it was a a entrance to the netherworld." He looked at Samara, "Of course your world is just one of many. Is this too much?" He looked at Samara as he walked down the stairs to the lower levels.

"I saw you and others in the village...you all went to talk with the elders" Samara stated as she continued to look around, those who did look at her looked away again quickly and she just assumed that they didn't want to acknowledge her at all. When he let go of her hand Samara hesitated a little before she began to follow him down sloppy even as the idea of running for it ran through her head but she knew if she did that she wouldn't survive. "How far down does all of this go?" Samara asked worriedly as she had never liked being in the dark.

"It is alright, you have plenty of time to decide." He spoke as they came to the center of the village. A huge spiraling hole lead deep into the earth, they could see that the village was layered with many levels leading around. "The last celebration was nice.Many of my people come to see many of you fun times. But things human have made, mostly so we can make them too." It looked like he was looking for something, "We'll be head down two floors and we will be home." He let go of Samara's hand and walked slowly, "Do keep up." The streets were not very crowed, but many other youkai walked be almost ignoring Samara's presence.

"I was never meant to be chosen...but I was after the last celebration that was held in the village" Samara said softly as she glanced at him from under her lashes wondering if she should tell him that she remembered seeing and a few others in her village before. Looking at the odd food Samara frowned at it trying to figure out what it exactly was. Seeing the woman named Suki she tipped her head to the side a bit before the woman ran off and her attention was brought back to Ketsueki, "I...haven't made up my mind" Samara said slowly.

Ketsueki tilted he head again looking at Samara, "There are many villages we protect, but for the daughter of the village leader to be chosen is strange." He lead her to street vendor and got some odd looking food. It was a little strange but gave a very lovely smell. As they continued to walk, Ketsueki bumped into a mid-twenty looking human woman, "Suki, it's been a long time. Your turning 200 this year, right?" The woman nodded then ran off into the streets. "So, have you made up your mind? Are you going to refse me?" He took a moment and thought about her, "I know this is rather cruel, but we all must live life to the fullest. I won't be mad at you if you do."

Samara looked down at the ground as she listened to him speaking, looking up at the two huge monsters Samara's eyes widened as they looked frightening to her. Seeing how normal things looked in the village Samara frowned as she looked around, she looked at Ketsueki "My name is Samara, my father was the leader of the village" she said softly as tears welled up in her eyes again thinking about her family. "A little" she mumbled when he asked if she was hungry.

Tilting his head to the side, "You are rather odd one, you know that, Asking so many questions." He lend her slowly to the wall as he began to answer her questions. "If you refused or run away. I will just leave you behind as you would not be my responsibility anymore. Other will not touch you either and you will most defiantly starve to death." He looked at her and sighed patting her head, "So it will not be by my hand that you will die. It will be yours. As he continued to drag her along to the wall they were meet by two huge monsters and one about Ketsueki height, but all of them carried the same trait of having only one eye. They allowed them to pass through, but instead of a grotesque village of monsters sell human parts, huge weapons, and other things a human would expect. They was only but a normal market street selling normal things. Ketsueki spoke up again, "If you refuse to have children then I will simple find another. Only she will have to bear twice as much." Looking at the street vendors she then looked at Samara, "You have yet to tell me your name, or shall I just call you bride or wife? Another thing are you hungry?"

Samara frowned at him with her lips parted when he made her eyes meet his, looking at his hand when he grasped hers lightly Samara wanted to pull her hand away from his but didn't as she was scared that doing so would make him mad. "And what will happen if I refuse to come with you or if I try and get away from you?" She questioned as she looked at him worriedly "Will you kill me then?". Looking at the tall wall Samara looked fearful at what might await her behind it.

Ketsueki made her eyes meet his, "Human only see the evil in everything. That's why they kill each other." Seeing the fear in her eyes, he caressed her again, "I have only the intention to care for your life. Like all youkai in my village wish." Wiping the tears away and tried to give a comforting smile to her. Taking her hand , this time grasping it lightly, "Your fate is to be a mother and to live a long life. Not to be sent to slaughter or to be fed to beasts." He made sure to keep eye contact with her, "That is what you should be scared of. Being a bride to a loving beast." The tension in the air lifted a little as a tall wall could be seen, "We must hurry, I need to bring you to the village before sunrise."

Samara cringed at his words, just how calmly he spoke about the other sacrifices scared her. When he caresses her cheek she flinched and turned her head away from him, moving a little when he sat her down Samara pulled her hands up to her chest and rubbed her wrists a little. When Ketsueki asked if she really wanted to know Samara shook her head, "No I don't truely wish to know. Because you're going to kill me anyway" she said as she began to cry again.

The icy air surrounded Ketsueki as he stopped, "I have been asked that every time I take one of the sacrifices." He softly caressed her cheek, "Just know, that you won't be harmed normally." He picked her up in his arms as they came across trees with runes, paper seals, and many more ways to keep evil out. "THe wild beasts won't cross this line, but since I'm carrying you you can on leave either." He set her down on the other side and unbind her hands. Thinking back to her question, "Do you truely wish to know, what i will do?" Standing over her he grimaced knowing the answer should be obvious.

Samara raised her chin up when the man held her by her throat, when his grip tightened on her throat she gasped softly. Letting her arms fall down when he cut the rope above her head she staggered a little when he grabbed her right arm, the feeling of one of the claws piercing her skin made her whimper and jerk a little. Sniffling when he pulled her along Samara looked around with wide frightened eyes "What do you plan to do with me?" she asked softly as she glanced at Ketsueki out of fear. Her father had run the village and had said that she could never be a sacrifice and yet here she was given to the beasts everyone feared.

The beast withdrew the icy blade from her neck and held her by the throat. It's piercing red eye glowed, "I will prolong your suffering as you have wished." It's grip became tight as it cut the ropes that bind her to the tree. "Be warned. if you run away or not stay close. the others will end your suffering." it then cut the rope holding her hands above her head, but keeping them tied together. It grabbed tightly to Samara's right arm before letting go of her neck. One of it's claws pierced her skin, "I'm called Ketsueki kōri. If you haven't guessed, I'm friendly." Pulling her farther into the foggy woods there was crunching under their feet.

Samara clenched her eyes closed and she began to cry as she felt the tip of the sword against her neck, "Please don't kill me" Samara begged as she opened her eyes and looked at the beast in front of her. He looked like one of the men who came into her village every month during the celebrations that her village held to thank the beasts for protecting them. "Please...please...let me go. Let me live" she whimpered.

As shadows moved in the woods a tall figure could be seen approaching Samara, The air around the woods chilled as the ground began to freeze. Whatever the beast was it did not look like a monster. It almost looked human, It came close to Samara and looked at her with its pure white hair. It was dressed in all white. The clothing was ripped, torn, and sewn back together. “Are you the Sacrifice?” It looked at her and the glow of its red eyes. More things in many shapes and sizes soon came, but stood back seeing someone was already made contact with Samara, “If you wish, I can end your suffering, but if you wish I can prolong it too.” Its hands grew out a long clear blade. Placing it near her throat.

Samara sniffled a little as she moved slightly, she was tied to a trees with her arms fastened above her head wearing a simple almost see through white floor length gown. She lived in a small village that believed that one young woman every several years needed to be sacrificed to the beasts that lurked in the woods. Now the village elders had decided that it was Samara who was going to be the new sacrifice, hearing movement somewhere behind her Samara whimpered a little as she tired to look over her shoulder as much as she could but she couldn't see anything past the tree she was tied to. "Please don't kill me, please don't kill me" she repeated to herself softly as she braced herself waiting to see one of the beasts that everyone in her village was scared of, but Samara also knew that the beasts protected their village and that many years before the first village leader had made an agreement that young women would be sacrificed to the beasts so they would continued to protect them. Closing her eyes Samara bowed her head as she heard the movements closer to her.